I slept really well on Sunday night, almost 12 hours. I woke up still exhausted! We had room service breakfast and went to the lobby to meet Mrs. Zhanna. We saw another couple there, from Pennsylvania - John and Lynn. They were going with us to Ekaterinburg. We had just begun talking to them when Mrs. Zhanna walked in - not the firm older figure I imagined but a petite blonde in her early 30s with the cutest English I've ever heard! We called her Jane - I don't believe it was her first name because when someone else asked if that was her name (being very non-Russian), she giggled and said, "we try to keep it simple for you."

So then a third couple showed up, Dan and Jeanine from Virginia. They were also going to Ekat. with us. We all piled in the bus and went to the airport. A different airport - international flights all go to one airport only. All domestics are serviced from other airports. Easier to track people, I suppose. Once at the airport, we met up with 2 other people - Alex, from California, and Laurie, also from California. Alex's wife was home with their 3 kids; Laurie is a single woman wanting to adopt. So the 8 of us traveled together to Ekat.

We took a bus out to our plane, Ural Airlines. We walked under the wing and loaded from the back. It had 2 levels; the first was storage for extra carry-ons; then you walked up a short flight of stairs to where the seats were. Wider and airier headroom; older and tinier seats. The music piped in for our pleasure was American Christmas music; Silver Bells, and then Jingle Bells. Flight was fine, although I was getting a little airsick. We were served a hot meal, even though our flight was at 10:30am. We landed around 12:30, but because of yet another time change, it was 2:30 Ekat. time.

We were met by Olga and Helen. Helen was to become our best friend - she ended up being our guide and translator for the week. We got our luggage and were whisked off to our hotel, the Hotel Iset (named after the local river). The airport arrival area was very small and dingy; not impressive. The outside was very pretty, big stone building with a columned entrance.

Doug and I were drive that day by Dima ("deemuh"), Helen's son. He is 23 years old. He drives like a maniac, as do many Russians. Lanes? Who needs 'em? If I want to drive somewhere, then I drive there - everyone else must get out of my way. I'll make my own turn lane!

The hotel was nice. It is directly at city center and very handy for every place we had to go. We were on the 7th floor in a 2-room suite. Art Deco style, purple fuzzy couches. It was great.

Helen allowed us time to change, and then took us to a restaurant called "Sunday's" in English. It was only about 4 blocks but was very cold! We walked. I had pizza there, Doug had shish-ka-bobs. Enough of the staff spoke broken English that we could order. We watched part of Finding Nemo in Russian. Took a leisurely dinner, getting to know our traveling companions a little better.

On the walk back, we talked to Helen a little bit. She refused to take us anywhere else because Doug was dressed, in her opinion, inappropriately for the weather - he wasn't wearing a hat. She berated him for it... and later, berated him for not wearing boots, either. Every Russian we saw wore a hat. EVERY one. And the hats of your imagination, with the fur lining and flaps that can tie over your ears? Oh yes. Almost all men wear that style. Doug fit right in, once he started wearing his.

We went shopping with Dan and Jeanine after eating, to see what the local stores had. Dan wanted a hat like Doug's because he hadn't brought one at all. He found one, and we poked around in the stores. We went to a grocery store to buy some Coke, and also some bread for the room "just in case." You have to walk through a security checkpoint on your way in.

We went to bed on Monday night exhausted; but I couldn't sleep. We were to meet Helen in the lobby at 9:00am to go to the Ministry of Education; and then to the orphanage in Pervouralsk to meet Roman. At 4:30am Ekat. time both of us were out of bed and watching Russian MTV, eating our bread. Caught a few more winks, then we were up.